Topic: Where to get large batch of hardware zinc plated?

[Markcb750]

Pasivation is a corrosion resistant process for stainless steel. To make zinc more durable as has already been mentioned, you need to also coat the parts with chromate.

Tom

'Passivated'  means 'deactivated'.  It has several common meanings referring to the treatment of metals; one is stainless steel in nitric acid or other materials to make it less prone to rusting, another is application of a chromate conversion coating to zinc  plating.

Mark

[Lostboy Steve]

The problem (from what i understand) with the eastwood kit is that its a tin-zinc. So i doubt its the durability you're searching for.

[mycb750k6]

Yes the Eastwood kit seems to give you a dull silver finish that needs to be polished and will probably dull again like galvanized steel over time. I called Caswell and bought their smallest copy cad/zinc kit without the gloves, heater and zinc chunk for around the same price as the Eastwood kit so I'm anxious to get started. The main additional component with Caswell is the chromate additive that comes in a variety of colors including blue and yellow but only lasts one or two platings according to them so could get expensive. Also the Caswell operation requires a power supply rather than a couple of batteries and needs to be heated to 110 degrees unlike the Eastwood kit. Nevertheless I excited to start since I always have a bolt or two or cable end I'd like to clean up. I buy a lot of anodizing supplies from Caswell and I know they sell top notch stuff, albeit expensive. If this thread is still active, I'll post my results here and compare with the internet zinc plating I had done.

[Lostboy Steve]

I started to youtube the whole process a while back and eventually it pretty much "blew my mind up". There's a British fellow that shows you how to nickle plate which I would assume is the best option for hardware.

[chewbacca5000]

I don't really see what the difference between the DIY and kits vs professional plating is for my application.  Avoid the salt and the kit and DIY will probably last as long as anything else.

What I would really like to know is how to get a home barrel plating setup.  Is there a way to throw a bunch of nuts and bolts into a soup can rotate it in the solution to get the zinc to stick to all the parts?

Tying everything to a wire is lots of work.

[gonzobrian]

I don't really see what the difference between the DIY and kits vs professional plating is for my application.  Avoid the salt and the kit and DIY will probably last as long as anything else.

What I would really like to know is how to get a home barrel plating setup.  Is there a way to throw a bunch of nuts and bolts into a soup can rotate it in the solution to get the zinc to stick to all the parts?

Tying everything to a wire is lots of work.

Here is a guy that made his own setup.  I think I have the kit sold by Eastwood and I have never been happy with it.

http://www.nulltime.com/zincplating/shop_setup/plating_barrel/index.html

[chewbacca5000]

I don't really see what the difference between the DIY and kits vs professional plating is for my application.  Avoid the salt and the kit and DIY will probably last as long as anything else.

What I would really like to know is how to get a home barrel plating setup.  Is there a way to throw a bunch of nuts and bolts into a soup can rotate it in the solution to get the zinc to stick to all the parts?

Tying everything to a wire is lots of work.

Here is a guy that made his own setup.  I think I have the kit sold by Eastwood and I have never been happy with it.

http://www.nulltime.com/zincplating/shop_setup/plating_barrel/index.html

Thanks this is a very cool link!  What part of the Eastwood setup don't you care for?

[chewbacca5000]

Ok here is what I want powered by a small motor.  Eastwood should sell this.

home factory 24ct gold plating (barrel plating)

[RAFster122s]

What is the largest item you need to plate? That system could work but the hand crank and don't really show you what your paying £270 for...their website should tell you.  McMaster Carr and Berg gear should give you everything you need to build your own plating drum setup.  How are you going to build the drum so you can load and unload it easily?  Sheet aluminum can be easily machined and 3030 should be strong enough for the sides in 3/32 thick. An inner disc to clamp mesh aluminum or other mesh can solve the  mesh issue, but I am guessing that the mesh will plate closed in several cycles. Tubular standoffs and screws from side to side should provide sufficient strength for the cage.
depending on what materials are compatible with the plating solutions of course...
Servo city might have suitable gear drives for slowing your rotational speed, or build your own grom parts from Bergs.

[gonzobrian]

I don't really see what the difference between the DIY and kits vs professional plating is for my application.  Avoid the salt and the kit and DIY will probably last as long as anything else.

What I would really like to know is how to get a home barrel plating setup.  Is there a way to throw a bunch of nuts and bolts into a soup can rotate it in the solution to get the zinc to stick to all the parts?

Tying everything to a wire is lots of work.

Here is a guy that made his own setup.  I think I have the kit sold by Eastwood and I have never been happy with it.

http://www.nulltime.com/zincplating/shop_setup/plating_barrel/index.html

Thanks this is a very cool link!  What part of the Eastwood setup don't you care for?

Everything I plated came out looking chalky looking.  I tried polishing in a tumbler with walnut shells and autosol and I still was not happy with the results.

[chewbacca5000]

Everything I plated came out looking chalky looking.  I tried polishing in a tumbler with walnut shells and autosol and I still was not happy with the results.

[mycb750k6]

The Eastwood setup is supposed to give you a dull gray finish. The Caswell setup includes a brightener that makes the parts shiny like chrome. Without the brightener, the parts are gray and dull just like the Eastwood setup. In addition to the brightener, the Caswell setup includes a chromate which gives you the corrosion resistance. The two systems are very different from one another. The Caswell requires a regulated power supply and some math is involved to calculate the current draw plus a tank heater to make the solution 110 F. The Eastwood setup uses a couple of D batteries and that's it.

[mycb750k6]

I'm using the Caswell setup now with the zinc brightener to make the plating shiny and the yellow chromate to make them "gold". Really simple setup.

[chewbacca5000]

I'm using the Caswell setup now with the zinc brightener to make the plating shiny and the yellow chromate to make them "gold". Really simple setup.

Looks really good.  How much did the whole setup run you?

[mycb750k6]

I'd guess around $150. Not really that much considering the other costs of this hobby. Plus I'll have this capability when I move on to other areas of interest. This is a really simple technique once mastered and the results are terrific and long lasting. I wish I'd known how to do this during the time I was doing restoration. I do a lot of anodizing too and this is significantly easier. I'd say if you are just starting a project, you should consider this since you can plate as you go without having to wait for a chrome shop or minimum order.